


Flare

by chashmish



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Friendship, Gen, bad movie titles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-28 21:43:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16250366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chashmish/pseuds/chashmish
Summary: Ann helps Goro through a break-up. Revenge is… on the table.





	Flare

There were eight unread text messages. The first one said “Haruto broke up with me.” The second one said “If you’re free, could you stop by?” The third one: “With coffee, if possible. I ran out at my apartment.” The fourth, time-stamped for a few minutes later: “Actually, never mind about the coffee. It rots your teeth, you know.” The fifth: “My teeth, not yours. Because I drank enough today to run out.” The sixth: “You know what? I shouldn’t ask you to come. I’m sure you’re busy. Really, don’t worry or anything. Don’t come. Seriously, Ann.” The seventh: “g”. The eighth: “Sorry. That was an accident. Don’t come here.”

Within minutes of reading them all, Ann was out the door and in her car, hair still wet from the shower. She stopped only to pull on her jacket, and then, later, to hit up the drive-through at Starbucks. She got a caramel macchiato for Goro and juice for herself. He was right about the teeth thing, after all.

She reached Goro’s apartment as fast as possible without breaking traffic laws, stomping up the stairs in the cool lace-up boots she had just bought.

“Oh,” said Goro when he opened the door for her. She had worried his face would be tear-stained, but instead he just looked tired, with dark circles and a resolute expression. Somehow that was worse. “Hi. Nice boots. I told you not to come. Is that coffee?”

Ann pushed past him to enter and set the coffee on the counter. She turned around. “Goro, I’m _so sorry!_ ”

“Don’t worry about it,” Goro muttered.

“I just– I can’t believe this! And next week was your first anniversary!”

“I know.”

“Just– how? Why?! When did he–”  

“Actually,” Goro said, monotone, “I’m not sure I really want to talk about it, if that’s all right.” He sighed. “Thank you for coming. Really. But you shouldn’t have.”

“Well, I’m here now,” Ann said stubbornly. She refused to let Goro go through this alone. He was dangerous when he was brooding, and this was a major crisis that was sure to lend itself to a dangerous bout of sulking. “So what do you want to do? We could go out, or watch a movie, or–”

“I thought I’d do some reading,” Goro said.

“For class?”

“Well, yes, but I already finished all of it, so now I’m doing some independent research.”

“Into…?”

“Nietzsche’s influence on modern-day critical pedagogy,” Goro said. “It’s just one of my personal interests.”

“...Wow!” Ann said, after a beat.

“I could tell you more about it, if you want,” Goro offered.

“Er, sure,” Ann said.

Goro led her into his bedroom and showed her some Venn diagrams. Ann paid attention, but she soon found herself distracted by the sight of a rectangular box, poking out from underneath Goro’s bed.

“Well, that’s all I know so far,” Goro said after around twenty minutes. “I still have more to learn.”

“Goro,” Ann said softly. “Are you okay?” But she already knew the answer. When Goro turned to Nietzsche, things were usually really, really, bad.

“What?” Goro said, and tried to laugh it off before seeing her serious expression. “Oh, just fine,” he said lightly. “Really, this whole thing– it’s an opportunity, isn’t it? Like a fresh start–”

“Hey!” Ann demanded.

“...What?”

“Don’t use that voice with me!”

“What _voice_?”

“The one you use on other people when you think they’re stupid and also you’re hiding something because you don’t want anyone knowing how you actually feel! That voice!” Ann pointed a finger at him accusingly. “I hate that voice.”

Goro opened his mouth and closed it again. “I’m sorry. I don’t think you’re stupid.”

“I know. I don’t actually hate that voice,” Ann admitted. “It’s cute. And super effective. I just want you to be honest with me.”

Goro took a breath, and didn’t respond for a moment. When he did, he said, “I don’t know if I’m okay right now. Honestly. I think I’m still– I’m still processing.” He looked away. “I still don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay,” Ann said softly. “I won’t push it.”

Goro smiled at her, a tired smile, and then ran a hand through his hair. He said, “I’d like to get back to work, but if you’d like to do anything–”

“Oh, no! Enjoy Nietzsche! I’ll just hang out here.”

“Look,” Goro told her. “I– appreciate that you came here, but there’s no reason for you to waste your time–”  

“Goro, I’m _not_ wasting my time,” Ann said firmly. “I’m staying here.”

Goro smiled a little. “Even if I just want to sit here for hours?”

“Even if!” Ann looked around. “Uh, but do you have some, like, DVDs or something I could watch, or…”

Goro sighed. “Let me go check.”

When he left the room, Ann waited for a few seconds before rolling off the bed and making a beeline for the box she’d seen when she entered. Taking care not to make noise, she pulled it towards her and opened the lid.

Inside was just what she’d expected– and feared.

“Oh, Goro,” Ann whispered.

There were pictures– tens of them, of Haruto and Goro, and the fact that Goro had actually bothered to get them printed pulled at Ann’s heartstrings. Notes, too– Ann didn’t read those, turning away quickly when she saw them, but those were folded with care, and labelled precisely.

Ann understood immediately what she had to do. She put the lid back on the box, took the whole thing in her arms, and stepped out of the room. “Hey, Goro?” she called.

His voice came from the kitchen. “Yeah?”

“I’m going down to my car for a bit! I, uh, forgot something!”

“All right. Oh, do you want to watch _Robot Apocalypse VII_ , or _To Live and Love at Sea_?”

Goro’s taste was really unique. “Um, the sea one, please! Back in a sec!” Ann darted out the door, closed it behind her, and began making her way downstairs.

When she got to her car a minute later, she placed the box on top of it to free her hands as she dug for her keys in her pocket.

...Oh.

Her keys.

They weren’t in her pocket.

“Fuck,” said Ann.

“Ann?” said someone behind her, and she realized with trepidation that the voice belonged to– who else?– Goro.

“I came down here because you forgot–”

He stopped suddenly, and slowly, Ann turned around. Goro was looking right at the box, his expression unreadable. “Your keys,” he said.

Ann took a breath. “Goro–”

Goro pinched the bridge of his nose, looking confused and weary. “Ann, you– you went through my things?”

Ann stepped forward. “I’m really sorry. But I saw it in your room, and… And my first thought was that it was just going to make you feel worse, and... I just wanted to get this stuff out of your sight for a bit. I’m _really_ sorry!”

She waited for Goro to get angry– such a reaction was one she probably deserved– but instead he only sighed and raised his hands before dragging them down his face. “...No. You probably had the right idea. That’s why I texted you. Because I haven’t been able to stop myself from looking at those photos.”

He walked over to stand beside her, and they both leaned against the car.

A moment of silence passed, in the somber darkness of the parking garage.

“I’m always here for you, y’know,” Ann said quietly.

Goro gave her a smile. “I know. I know that I can… rely on you.”

“Always, so don’t forget it!”

Goro laughed, then paused. “You weren’t going to… throw away or destroy those photos, were you?”

“No way. I just was gonna keep them for you. Until you felt ready to look at them again. I… should’ve asked. I really am sorry.”

“It’s all right. I think.. that I would like you to keep them, for now.”

Ann nodded, and Goro took a short breath.

“I keep wondering what I could have done,” Goro said. “If I had just... I thought I was enough, but he said he was… bored.” Goro chuckled, without humor. “With me.”

“No way! Goro, it didn’t happen because of anything you lacked,” Ann said, filled with outrage. “Sometimes, things just… end up that way, but I can’t believe how much of an ass he is! To say that… And an idiot! And ungrateful! Who could ever get bored of you?! You’re, like, the most interesting person I’ve ever met.”

“...That’s right,” Goro said slowly, after a moment of staring at his shoes. “I am interesting.”

“You are!”

“And he _is_ an idiot.”

“He is!”

“Let’s you and I go for a drive,” Goro declared.

“A drive?” Ann echoed.

“A drive,” Goro confirmed. “A nice, long, late-night drive. Just us and… the infinite temptation of the open road. It’s exactly what I need to clear my head.”

“Sounds great!” Ann took her keys from him, opened the driver’s-side door, and climbed inside. It was her car, after all. And Goro still didn’t have his license.

Twelve minutes later they’d stopped at a Big Bang Burger and were seated at a booth.

“Haruto always hated this place,” Goro remarked. He picked up a fry, dunked it into his milkshake, and popped it in his mouth. “He would go on and on about the calories. Well, I was never particularly a fan, either.” He ate another fry. “Still, it feels nice to eat here today.”

Goro would eat almost anything. Once he had nonchalantly dipped a potato chip in peanut butter and eaten it before Ann’s eyes. It never ceased to be endlessly fascinating. “Yes!” Ann said. “Exactly! It’s a revenge meal. Haruto can take his calories and shove them up his ass!”

A parent with a small child in tow walked by and glared at them.

“Er, sorry,” Ann said quickly.

“A revenge plan would feel even better than a revenge meal,” Goro suggested.

“Goro, no…”

“Please?”

“No!”

“Think about it,” Goro cajoled.

Ann twiddled her thumbs nervously, and then said after a moment, “...Okay, fine.”

Goro blinked. “Really? Just like that?”

“Well, I’m _mad_!” said Ann. She had really just been waiting to be convinced. “All right. How d’you want to do this?”

Goro paused. “Let’s make a list.”

“Okay!” Ann said. She flagged down a waitress. “Um! Do you have a pen, by any chance?”

The waitress blinked at her. “...I can go get one.”

“Ann, we have phones,” said Goro when the waitress left. He frowned. “Oh, shit. I don’t have my phone. I left it upstairs when I came down to give you your keys.”

“Well–”

“I don’t have my wallet, either,” Goro realized. He looked at Ann.

“Of course I’ll spot you,” Ann said, “it’s a revenge meal in your honor. Anyway, revenge lists just feel better with pen and paper.” The waitress returned with the requested pen, and Ann accepted it with a smile. “Thanks!”  

They didn’t have paper, so they used a napkin from the dispenser.

“Let’s write down some things about Haruto,” Ann suggested.

“Personalized,” Goro said. “I like it.” He tilted his head, considering. “He loves that drama that’s been airing since time immemorial. The one with the adopted daughter and the love triangle and the cursed forest.”

“Oh! I know the one,” Ann said. “Are you caught up?”

“Yes. Actually, I think I’m ahead of Haruto. He had exams last week, so he told me to go on watching without him. Oh!” Goro’s eyes widened.  
  
“What? What?”

“In the most recent episode,” Goro said solemnly, “Eiji dies.”

Ann’s mouth fell open. “No way! How?”

“Kaede kills him.”  

“Kaede?! Holy shit!”

“I know,” Goro said grimly. “But anyhow…” A conspiratorial smile spread slowly across his face. “Haruto hates spoilers.”

And Ann knew what they had to do.

Ann had Haruto’s number, but Goro argued that texting would seem too personal, so email it was.

“Well, give me your phone,” said Goro.

Ann bit her lip. “I feel like if you write it, you’ll go too far.”

“How can I go too far? I’m literally just telling him about a plotline.”

But Ann knew better than to underestimate Goro’s malice, which was definitely able to reveal itself even through text. “I’ll write it, but you can look over it, okay?”

Goro sighed. “Fine.”

Ann took to the keyboard. 

> Good day,
> 
> I hope this message reaches you prosperously. I wanted you to know that at the end of Season 3 of _Blossoms in the Wind_ , Kaede kills Eiji. I thought I would just tell you this because of the fact that I know you enjoy him and since he dies you may as well just not bother viewing the remainder now.
> 
> Farewell, your ex-lover,
> 
> Goro

“This,” said Goro, looking at the phone after she was done, “is how you think I sound.”

“Basically, yeah!” said Ann.

Goro considered the screen and made a few quick changes on the keyboard. He passed the phone back to Ann. He had deleted the first sentence, added “in cold blood, at his aunt’s anniversary party” after “kills,” and changed “enjoy him” to “like his character”.

“ _Enjoy_ _him_ does sound kinda sexual,” Ann admitted.

“Eiji would never have Haruto,” Goro said, scowling. “Well, he can’t have anyone anymore now that he’s dead.”

Ann sighed. “Rest in peace, Eiji.”

“Rest in peace,” Goro agreed. He sent the message.

They let the success of their plan sink in for a moment.

“How d’you feel?” asked Ann.

“A little better,” Goro admitted, “but not as good as I thought I would. Perhaps it’s because there wasn’t enough revenge.”

“I don’t think it’s because of that,” Ann said dubiously.

Goro frowned. “You don’t?”

Ann reached over the table and took Goro’s hand. “I don’t regret what we just did.”

“As twisted as it was,” said Goro.

“But you know, with these things…” Ann bit her lip. “It sucks. It really, really sucks… but you just have to give it time.”

“But it hurts _now_ ,” Goro said quietly. It always broke Ann’s heart; to see him return to childishness when he was upset.

“I’m sorry,” Ann told him, because it was all she could say.

Goro gave her another sad little smile. Then he laughed, just a little. “Haruto is going to be _livid_.”

They spent a while longer at Big Bang, loitering until the waitress from before gave them one stink-eye too many. Then Ann drove them back to Goro’s apartment.

They watched _To Live and Love at Sea._ It was about a shipwreck; another one of those films Goro claimed to have in his collection because of the poignant message or whatever but really just kept around because the lead actor was hot. The main character, stranded in the ocean with meager rations and only a small lifeboat, was finally rescued when a passing cruiser caught sight of the light from his flare gun. Then he fell in love with a heiress he met onboard the larger ship.

“A little cliche,” admitted Goro.

“It’s romantic!” said Ann.

“Romance,” Goro said, countenance turning dark, “is a lie.”

Ann opened her mouth, to assure Goro that soon enough love would reveal itself to him again, and he’d find the totally hot guy he definitely deserved in no time, but realized quickly it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. So instead she said “Yup! Love’s for chumps!”

“Exactly,” Goro said, looking a little better. “An imbecilic emotion.”

“Totally!”

“It’s useless.”

“Absolutely!”

“Love is dead,” Goro declared.

“Uh-huh! And so is God!”

“...I think I’m a bad influence on you, Ann.”

When they fell asleep on Goro’s couch that night, slack-jawed and drooling, Ann dreamed of Nietzsche eating french fries.


End file.
